Disk labeling device

ABSTRACT

A device for the positioning of a label, having a central aperture and peripheral edge, onto a surface of a disk, having a central hole and an outer edge including three components:  
     (1) a support base for the label having a central aperture; (2) a centering spindle having a first and second, reduced diameter portions for relatively centering the label and disk, the disk being seated on a shoulder between the first and second diameter portions; and (3) a compressible foam pad, cylindrical in shape adapted to be adhered to the bottom of the second diameter portion of the spindle and positioned in an aperture in the base on which the spindle may be seated. With the disk retained on the shoulder and centered by the second diameter portion of the spindle passing therethrough, the disk is moved towards the label supported adhesive side up on the base. The first diameter portion of the spindle enters the aperture in the base, centering the label relative to the disk and compressing the foam pad, which exerts a counterforce, uniformly between the disk and label as the two are adhered and united, to uniformly adhere the label to the disk without wrinkles or air pockets. The spindle and pad can be formed as an integral unit to reduce the components to two by the addition of a stabilizing plate ultrasonically welded to the pad at one end, and at its other end, the pad can be ultrasonically welded to the spindle.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. applicationSer. No. 09/247,437, filed Feb. 10, 1999, which in turn is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/141,848, filed Aug.27, 1998, and U.S. Ser. No. 08/685,555, filed Jul. 24, 1996, issued asU.S. Pat. No. 6,321,814 on Nov. 27, 2001, all of which are incorporatedherein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention -relates to the field of compact disklabeling devices, and more particularly to a device for centering a diskwith respect to a self-adhesive label while maintaining them in spacedrelation and subsequently allowing them to contact, formatting a labeleddisk.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The proliferation of compact disks (discs), also known as laserdisks, in the form of music as well as CD-ROM products has becomeextensive. In recent years, recordable compact disks such as thoseproduced by SONY, 3M, and KODAK has grown in popularity. Further, thesedisks are being used for archival data storage, immediate distributionof data, and for demonstration purposes. With this recent use has growna need to label these disks once they have been produced. This isbecause once produced, there is no generally available visual method fordetermining the contents of the disk, without reducing storage capacitybelow the 680 MB of data of more, without external markings.

[0004] While manufacturers of large numbers of identical disks havetheir labels or identifying information painted, silk-screened orprinted onto the disks, e.g., a layer of adherent ink adherent ink orpigment is applied to the surface of the disk, this method is generallyimpractical for recordable compact disk producers. For small runs orthose requiring immediate availability of the disk, printing or paintingbased methods of labeling take too much time, incur a significant setupcharge, and require special equipment. Automated disk imprinting devicesmay be large and cumbersome, with bulk pigmented ink supplies generallyfavoring long production runs.

[0005] Another known method of labeling a compact disk employs a directprinting using an ink jet system onto the surface of a disk. Thesesystems provide a special carrier for the disk, which is printed using aconventional ink jet printing apparatus. This method suffers theshortcomings of ink jet technology, including problems with the inksused, such as smudging, running, lack of scratch resistance on the disksurface, and the like. This ink jet printing technology is alsorelatively slow.

[0006] Ink markers may also be used to label disks, but this isunattractive and can cause damage to the disk by breaking down thecoating which protects the disk. Permanent ink markers often includesolvents in the ink. As a result, manufacturers such as Avery Dennison,Avery Division, Diamond Bar Calif., produce self-adhesive labels shapedlike, and designed for compact disks. Improper placement of a label on adisk, especially with the advent of high speed, e.g., ten or higherspeed data transfer (with single speed data transfer defined as the ratenecessary to support CD audio), and higher information density diskrecording technologies, such as Digital Video Disk (“DVD”), may resultin read errors, or drive motor damage due to dynamic imbalance of thedisk.

[0007] Other known prior art includes: Kodaka et al, U.S. Pat. No.5,346,654, which relates to a method for forming indicia on compactdisks. This method employs a molded impression from a “mother”, and doesnot apply an adhesive label. Lexel, U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,464, relates toa hinged structure for pressing a marking onto a compact disk, and alsodoes not apply an adhesive label. Sugaya et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,255,on the other hand, relates to an adhesive label marking system forcompact disks. However, the labels are ultimately applied manually,without any apparatus for assisting in accurate placement on the disk.Hanna, U.S. Pat. No. 4,385,460, relates to an optical disk orphonorecord label having a hinged portion for individualized marking,which is apparently manually applied. Nakamura, U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,127,relates to a labeling system for 3.5 inch magnetic media encased in arectangular plastic enclosure, and thus, whsle placing the labels in adesired location, do not place the label concentrically directly on therotating media.

[0008] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,001, and U.S. Ser. No. 661,443, filed Jun.11, 1996, both assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, acompact disk labeling device and method is disclosed which providesvarious embodiments intended to assist in the accurate placement of anadhesive label, generally bearing a pressure sensitive adhesive, to asurface of a disk.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the label is centered with respect tothe disk by means of a tapered member, inserted through the centralaperture of the label, which gradually centers the label until it is indefined position. The disk is centered by a dowel inserted all the waythrough the spindle hole. After the label and disk are centered, a forceis applied, allowing adhesion of the label to the disk. The force may beapplied, for example, by a base on which the label rests, adhesivesurface upward. The base, in this case, has an aperture allowing thetapered member to pass through. The dowel extends upwardly from thetapered member, and thus may serve as a handle. The label is placed onthe surface of the base, adhesive side upward, with the central apertureoverlapping the aperture in the base. The disk is placed on the dowel,and rests against a shoulder at an upper portion of the tapered member,with the side to be labeled facing downward. The tip of the taperedmember is pressed through the central aperture of the label and theaperture of the base, with the tapered portion exerting a lateral forceto center the label with respect to the tapered member.

[0010] After the label is centered, the disk, resting on the shoulder isfurther lowered, until it contacts the label. A force is uniformlyapplied which permits complete and uniform adhesion throughout thecontact area between the disk and label, as compared to the device andapparatus of Japanese patent JPA 532498, where the adhesion force maycant the disk for an uneven application of the label among otherdeficiencies, i.e., the use of two positioning members being mandatory.The label normally has a contact adhesive, which requires a relativelylow contact force to cause a strong adhesion, and thus a uniformlyapplied force will cause complete adhesion.

[0011] The label thus generally has a central circular hole, larger thanthe central aperture in the disk, so that no clearance problem willarise. A member within this central circular hole, which has a largestdimension approximately equal to the diameter of the hole, will locatethe center of the label. This member is preferably a tapered tipcylinder, which provides an initial taper so that the tip may be easilyguided into the central hole. Further insertion will gently relocate thelabel with respect to the member, until the label is concentric aroundthe cylindrical portion of the member.

[0012] The label is centered by the taper on the tapered member and itslarger diameter cylinder with respect to the disk. The larger diametercylinder is insertable through the label and, in the preferredembodiment, the aperture in the surface. When the label is in a placenear the junction between the larger and small diameter cylinders, thedisk lies nearly adjacent to the label, properly positioned. Pressuremay then be applied on top of the disk which is centered relative to thelabel by the dowel inserted all the way through the spindle hole so itcannot pivot or cant relative to the spindle axis, by any suitablemeans, including manual pressure, pressure on a pressure plate, anautomatic pressure device, a spring or weight, or other known means,forcing intimate contact between the label and the disk, thus adheringthe two.

[0013] The compact disk with the newly affixed label is then removedfrom the device by lining the cylindrical extension and pulling thepositioning cone out of the positioning hole and the hollow coreportion. Thereafter, the compact disk is lined off cylindricalextension. It not permanently affixed, the positioning plate may beremoved from the cylindrical base and used to further press the labelonto the compact disk. This last step is carried out by placing thepositioning plate on top of the compact disk and manually pressing theplate against the disk whsle the disk is lying on a substantially flatsurface. A separate pressure plate may also be provided, or anothercompact disk employed in order to compress the label.

[0014] Preferably, the label is held and pressed flatly against the diskto avoid wrinkles. Alternatively, after suitable alignment, the labelmay be “rolled” onto the disk, i.e., applied to the disk by applyingpressure along a chord or radius of the disk extending across the label.

[0015] Further, in order to prevent finger prints from appearing on thedata surface of the compact disk, it is preferred that the pressure bemanually applied centrally to the compact disk, inside the data region,of that a separate device, e.g., a plate or “dummy” compact disk beprovided to apply pressure to the disk without finger contact. Ofcourse, a user may wear gloves to avoid direct finger contact.

[0016] Generally, contact adhesives applied to labels have a strongadhesion even when applied under light pressure; the reason for care inthe application of pressure is to assure that the label does not shiftor curl during application and to eliminate air bubbles under the label.

[0017] It has also been proposed that a member for axially aligning thedisk and the member of axially aligning the label are affixed to oneanother. Since the disk spindle aperture is smaller than the labelcentral aperture, a coaxial structure having varying characteristicradii may be provided, having a first member for aligning the disk andmeans for selectively contacting the label and the disk after alignment.For example, the contacting means may be a spring loaded cylinder with acentral spindle mounted in a plate, as for example shown in U.K. patent2305907A to Grossman, so that the label is supported by the plate andcentered by the cylinder; the disk is supported by the cylinder andcentered by the spindle, and after centering of each, the disk may belowered to contact the label by compressing the spring, to ostensiblyapply uniform pressure against the force of the spring.

[0018] The spring disclosed may be a helically wound resilient element.However, this requires a two part, inner and outer cylindrical memberforming a housing for the spring and two relatively movable parts so thespring can be compressed, which is not only expensive, but subject tomechanical malfunction if the spring binds or rides on one of theelements. Assembly and maintenance of the assembly is also timeconsuming and the helically wound spring may apply an uneven pressurebetween the contacting surfaces of the disk and label causing air trapstherebetween resulting it a wrinkled label.

[0019] Similar spring devices are also disclosed in German Patent 196 28678, granted Oct. 29, 1998, and WP 98/10934, published Mar. 19, 1998.

[0020] Further, the prior art devices are generally not knock-down,except for the device previously disclosed in the assignee's priorpatent and application, U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,001 and U.S. Ser. No.661,443, but even so, cannot be conveniently packaged for shipment as aunit with minimum space requirements.

[0021] The present invention presents a solution to all these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The present invention utilizes a compressible foam element as thecounterspring force in lieu of a coiled spring between the disk andlabel to assure even distribution across the contacting surfaces. Thisresults in simplifying the assembly of the device in use, and reducesthe cost to a—minimum as only three components are necessary informingthe device: (1) a support base for the label having a central aperture;(2) a centering spindle having a first and second, reduced diameterportions for relatively centering the label and disk, the disk beingseated on a shoulder between the first and second diameter portions; and(3) a compressible foam pad, cylindrical in shape adapted to be adheredto the bottom of the second diameter portion of the spindle andpositioned in an aperture in the base on which the spindle may beseated. With the disk retained on the shoulder and centered by thesecond diameter portion of the spindle passing therethrough, the disk ismoved towards the label supported adhesive side up on the base. Thefirst diameter portion of the spindle enters the aperture in the base,centering the label relative to the disk and compressing the foam pad,which exerts a counterforce, uniformly between the disk and label as thetwo are adhered and united.

[0023] The reduced diameter portion of the spindle may then be raisedlike a handle to remove the coupled disk and label from the base and theunited pair removed from the spindle. The resilient foam pad resumes itsuncompressed state, ready for reuse.

[0024] In another embodiment, the spindle and foam pad can be formed asan integral unit, reducing the labeling device to two main components,minimizing loss of the components and reducing shipping space.

[0025] These and other objects of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims and from the accompanyingdrawings herein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a compact disk labelingdevice according to the present invention;

[0027]FIGS. 2A and 2B are exploded views illustrating the application ofthe compressible foam pad to the spindle;

[0028]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the assembled labeling deviceready for use;

[0029]FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the removal of a labelfrom its backing sheet;

[0030]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the assembled labeling devicesupporting the label to be applied to a disk;

[0031]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a disk positioned on the labelingdevice over the label to be adhered to the disk;

[0032]FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of adheringthe label to the disk;

[0033]FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a washer positioned on the labelingdevice to preclude contact with the disk being labeled by the device;

[0034]FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the washer of FIG. 8;

[0035]FIG. 10 is a side view in elevation of the washer of FIG. 9;

[0036]FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the assembledcomponents of the disk labeling device of FIGS. 1 to 10 in use positionto adhere a disk to a label;

[0037]FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment ofthe invention where the basic components of the disk labeling deviceminimized by forming the spindle, and sponge as one piece;

[0038]FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the united spindle and spongeof the second embodiment of the invention taken substantially along theplane indicated by line 13-13 of FIG. 12;

[0039]FIG. 14 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the unitedspindle and sponge of the second embodiment of the invention;

[0040]FIG. 15 a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 14, but with thesponge depressed to bring the disk into contact with the label; and

[0041]FIG. 16 is a top plan view of the labeler of FIG. 15.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0042] Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like numeralsindicate like elements throughout the several views, the basic form ofthe labeling device of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 by thenumeral 10.

[0043] The labeling device 10 includes generally three basic elements:(1) a generally cylindrical base 12 having a centrally locatedcylindrical aperture 14; (2) a cylindrical, compressible foam pad 16having an adhesive surface 18 which may be exposed by peeling aremovable cover paper strip 20 provided with a suitable adhesive fromthe surface. (See FIG. 2A). The paper strip 20 may have an extension(not shown) for securing the foam pad to the packaging before assemblyso as not to mislocate the pad; and (3) a centering spindle 22 having afirst cylindrical portion 24 approximating the diameter of aperture 14in base 12, and a second, reduced diameter portion 26 joined to thefirst cylindrical portion 20 by a cylindrical support shoulder 28. Asillustrated in FIG. 2B, foam pad 16 has adhesive surface 18 adhered tothe bottom of first cylindrical portion 24 of spindle 22.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 3, the labeler 10 is assembled by placing thebase 12 on a fat surface S and inserting the foam covered end of thecentering spindle 22 into the aperture 14 in the top of base 12 so thatthe foam pad 16 comes into contact with fat surface S.

[0045] A preprinted label sheet SH, printed side down, is placed on aflat surface S and a circular label L with a central hole H is peeledaway from the sheet SH. Provided with a suitable adhesive, the label Lis placed printed side down, adhesive or sticky side up on base 12 bysliding hole H, as shown in FIG. 5, over the larger, first diameterportion 24 of centering spindle 22, centering the label on base 12relative to spindle 22 and reduced diameter portion 26.

[0046] A CD or DVD disk D can then be placed on the centering spindle 22until it seats flush on shoulder 28 with the reduced diameter portion 26projecting up through the center of disk D. The side of Disk D to belabeled the non-data side of the disk—must be facing down.

[0047] Finally, the clear center part of disk D, or mandril M mounted onthe reduced diameter portion 26 of spindle 22 and seated on shoulder 28is pushed downwardly as shown in FIG. 7, applying pressure at three orfour different points, until the disk D comes into contact with label Lbeneath it, compressing the foam pad 16 and adhering the disk and label;the reduced diameter portion 26 of spindle 22 maintains the disk Dcentered with respect to label L, and the disk D cannot cant or pivotrelative to the label L because the portion 26 passes completelytherethrough. The compressed foam pad 16 exerts a counterforce uniformlyon the disk and label as the two are adhered and united. Upon relies ofginger pressure, the resilient foam pad returns to an uncompressedstate, lining the united label and disk from base 12 and the reduceddiameter portion 26 of the spindle 22 can serve as a handle to removethe coupled disk and label completely from the base, where they can beseparated from the spindle 22.

[0048] While a resilient foam pad 16 is disclosed as the preferredembodiment for use with the labeler, it should be understood that acompressible and resilient pad made from other materials could also beused, such as rubber or a synthetic rubber neoprene pad, as long as thematerial is compressible and resilient. The pad may or may not besecured to the bottom of the spindle portion 24 or may be adhered toboth the spindle portion 224 and its supporting surfaces.

[0049] The positioning plate 12 may also be enhanced by the placing of afelt, non-scratching surface in seated engagement therewith to precludethe written side of disk D from being damaged during securement of thelabel. The positioning plate 12 is provided with a cylindrical skirt 30which may terminate in a solid plate or base for firmer support on aplanar surface. While the thickness of the plate 12 surrounding thepositioning hole 14 should be sufficient to prevent lateral dining ofthe spindle portion 24 and serve as a housing, a tube (not shown) mayextend downwardly in coaxial alignment from positioning hole 14,approximately the diameter of pad 16 and of spindle portion 24 to housethe same and present lateral movement. Finally, the surface ofpositioning plate 12, supporting the label L, may be slightly convexfrom the hole 14 to the outer circumference so that contact between thedisk and label is first made in the center of the label and adhesionprogresses therefrom along a chord or a radius of the label and disk toprevent air bubbles or wrinkles beneath the label.

[0050] Referring specifically to FIGS. 8 to 10, a washer 32 having acentral opening 34 may be placed about spindle portion 26 and seated ondisk TD prior to adhering the disk to the label L. Washer 32 may beprovided with radial arms 36 for ranger contact in pressing the disk Dinto contact with the label L. The washer 32 is provided to precludecontact with the disk itself during the adhesion step and scratching ordamage to the disk surface.

[0051] For a similar reason the bottom surface of washer 32 includes athin, smaller, hollow disk 42 attached thereto, provided with interiorradial arms 42 to raise washer 32 above the surface of the disk D topreclude damage to the surface when pressure is applied.

[0052] A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 12to 16, wherein primed numerals indicate like elements to those describedin FIGS. 1 to 11.

[0053] In the second embodiment, the spindle 24′ and compressible foampad 16′ are ultrasonically welded along their mating edges, 23′ and 17′,so that they are formed as an integral, one-piece unit, reducing thelabeling device to two main components, minimizing loss of thecomponents and reducing shipping costs.

[0054] The distal edge 19′ of the pad 16′ may also be ultrasonicallywelded to a plate 50 of similar diameter along edge 19′ and the edge ofthe plate to provide rigidity and stability to the pad 16′. A hole 52 isformed in the center of plate 50 to permit air in the compressible pad16′ to escape upon compression of the pad.

[0055] In use, the integral spindle 24′ is inserted into aperture 14′from beneath base 12′, rather than through the top. This enablesdiametrically opposed ears 54 and 56 on the lower circumference ofspindle 24′ to enter mating diametrically opposed, longitudinallyextending slots 58 and 60 formed on a skirt or tube 62 extendingdownwardly from the circumference of aperture 14′, which precludesrotation of the spindle 24′ and pad 16′ during compression, preventingtorsion and wear and tear on the pad 16′.

1. A labeler for the placement of self-adhesive labels onto a compactdisk or the like comprising: a one-piece positioning spindle having afirst and second portion, the second portion having a cross-sectionalarea smaller than the first portion for insertion in a spindle hole of adisk, a shoulder between the first and second portions for supporting adisk, a positioning base having a label supporting surface and apositioning hole, the first portion of the spindle including aresilient, compressible member on the bottom thereof, the resilient,compressible member being received within the positioning hole of thepositioning base to permit movement of the shoulder and a disk supportedthereon towards the label supporting surface on the positioning base foradhesion to the label upon contact therewith and to return the shoulderand disk to its initial position, and a plate integrally connected tothe bottom of the resilient, compressible member to stabilize andrigidify the same during compression; wherein the positioning base andthe positioning spindle are separate pieces.
 2. The labeler of claim 1,wherein the first and the second spindle portions are cylindrical inshape.
 3. The labeler of claim 2, wherein the positioning hole iscircular in shape and the pad is cylindrical in shape.
 4. The labeler ofclaim 1, wherein the member is ultrasonically welded to the bottom ofthe first portion of the spindle.
 5. The labeler of claim 1, wherein thepositioning base is circular in shape.
 6. The labeler of claim 1,wherein the member is formed from rubber.
 7. The labeler of claim 1,wherein the member is formed from neoprene.
 8. The labeler of claim 1further comprising a washer adapted to be positioned over and around thesecond portion of the spindle and on a disk seated on the shoulder toprotect against contact with the disk.
 9. The labeler of claim 8,wherein the washer includes a plurality of radial arms extendingoutwardly therefrom adapted for contact with a plurality of fingersadapted to exert a force on the disk against the compression of themember, to adhere the disk to the label on the positioning plate. 10.The labeler of claim 9 further comprising a plate on the bottom of thewasher adapted to raise the washer above the plane of a disk seated onthe shoulder to preclude scratching the surface thereof.
 11. The labelerof claim 1 further comprising a tube extending downwardly from thepositioning plate adjacent to the positioning hole to guide and housethe first spindle portion to preclude lateral movement thereof, the tubebeing axially aligned with the positioning hole.
 12. The labeler ofclaim 11, wherein the tube includes a pair of diametrically opposedslots opening in the bottom edge thereof, and wherein the spindleincludes a pair of diametrically opposed ears received in the slots topreclude rotation of the spindle relative to the base.
 13. The labelerof claim 1, wherein the components of the labeler can be disassembledfor storage and shipment.